5 Tips for Getting a Head Start on Holiday Decorating

Big Lots in celebration of its #BIGHoliday campaign for National Decorate Your Home for the Holidays Week.

Now that we’ve shared our Holiday Hideaway, we’d love for you to join in the decorating fun for National Decorate Your Home for the Holidays Week! This week people from near and far are going to be decorating their homes and sharing photos on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram (@Prudentjaime & @Prudentjacinda) using #BIGHoliday. The fun begins tonight at the #BIGHoliday Twitter Party at 9pm EST and continues throughout the week with the Selfie Sweepstakes, where one lucky winner will receive a $1000 Big Lots shopping spree!

To help you get started on your holiday decorating we’ve jotted down a few key tips we used for our merry makeover. Our first tip is to create a mood board of inspiration before you go shopping for decorations. This saved us a ton of time and kept us on track when we wanted to just buy everything in sight. You can check out all our recent holiday inspiration on our Christmas Pinterest Board, and check out the other National Decorate Your Home for the Holidays blogger makeovers.

Check out the next four tips for getting a head start on holiday decorating, and find out all the details for the #BIGHoliday Twitter Party and Selfie Sweepstakes after the jump…

2. Save Room for Extras Make a list of basics you know you definitely want, like the tree, lights and ornaments. Then, leave some room in the budget for cute extras, like sparkly reindeers and owl ornaments that are too adorable to leave behind.

3. Don’t Feel Pressure to Complete it All at Once: You don’t have to complete it all in one go. The benefit of starting early is that you can keep on adding here and there throughout the season.

4. Go Seasonal: Try picking decor that can work all season long, instead of focusing on one holiday. You could go for a winter wonderland theme that works great for Thanksgiving all the way through the holidays, even New Years! When each holiday comes around you can always add in a few holiday-specific decorations to complete the look.

5. Get in the Spirit: Bring others in to join the decorating fun by throwing a decorating party with hot chocolate, sweets, and your favorite holiday tunes. We may or may not have had a holiday dance party while we were decorating. We’ve been pinning a bunch of fun holiday recipes here.

Join the #BIGHoliday Twitter Party Nov. 17 from 9 – 10 p.m. EST
• The Twitter party will feature conversations about holiday décor with the opportunity to get advice from the #BIGHoliday Master Holiday Decorator, Jessica from Mom 4 Real.
• Prizes will include 30 $10 Big Lots gift cards and one grand prize – a $500 Big Lots shopping spree!
• You must meet eligibility requirements set forth in Section 1 of the Big Holiday Twitter Party rules, be a registered user of Twitter, RSVP to the Twitter Party, follow Big Lots and tweet @BigLots + #BIGHoliday at least once during the party.

The fun continues with the Selfie Sweepstakes!
• Head to Big Lots from Nov. 17 to Dec. 14 and snap a selfie with your favorite holiday merchandise for a chance to win a $500 or $1,000 Big Lots shopping spree!
• Enter your selfie on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Be sure to mention @BigLots and tag #BIGHoliday and #SweepsEntry.
• You may enter once per day. Each entry must include a different photo.
• Share on Facebook or Twitter and receive one bonus entry when one of your friends enters!

This post was sponsored by Big Lots in celebration of its #BIGHoliday campaign for National Decorate Your Home for the Holidays Week.